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Ray Allen still does not speak to Kevin Garnett, Doc Rivers jokingly challenges former Boston Celtics center Kendrick Perkins to a fight

Ray Allen, LeBron James, Sean Wright

Miami Heat's Ray Allen (34) talks with official Sean Wright (65) as LeBron James (6) looks on in the first half of Game 1 in an NBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets, Tuesday, May 6, 2014, in Miami. The Heat defeated the Nets 107-86.
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Update on the Kevin Garnett-Ray Allen tiff: The two former teammates still have not spoken over the last two years because Allen left the Boston Celtics to join the Miami Heat as a free agent.

Shortly after Allen's departure, you might recall Garnett saying that he no longer possessed the sharpshooter's number and made a choice not to communicate with him. Before the first Celtics-Heat game the following year, Allen tried to greet his long-time defensive anchor but was thoroughly shunned. Allen told reporters earlier this week that he does not try talking to Garnett anymore.

As they say, hell hath no fury like a scorned Big Three member. Despite Garnett's desire to ignore his old pal's existence, Allen struck a hit to the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 with 19 points. I imagine Garnett's reaction went something like this:

(Note: That was actually video of the big man providing instructions to some of his younger teammates. Presumably, Garnett delivered a stare that could kill a dozen men mostly to make sure his points sunk in. Or maybe because he was hungry for human meat. If you watched the entire scene, though, he looked a lot less threatening.)

But many of those Ubuntu Celtics still feel for each other. The latest example came Wednesday night while the Oklahoma City Thunder finished a beatdown of the Los Angeles Clippers.

At end of TO, LAC coach Doc Rivers caught eyes with his ex player Kendrick Perkins & jokingly challenged him to fight. Perk smiled & laughed

Rivers also joked, per Daily Thunder: "I coached Perk. I’m pissed at him. I can’t believe what he was doing offensively." The center came within two points and one rebound of his first double-double this season. Which reminds me that in the 2008 playoffs, he once slapped an 18-point, 16-rebound game on the Detroit Pistons. It was awesome and will surely never happen again.

But will Allen ever mend his relationship with his former teammates? The shooter has obviously gained a lot from leaving the Celtics. He won a second championship, could potentially claim a third this summer, and hit maybe the greatest shot in NBA history during last year's Finals. But think of the video tributes for Pierce and Garnett, all the love Boston wrapped them with, all the love Boston will always wrap them with.

Sometimes I wonder: Does Allen ever regret opting out of permanent king status in Boston? Probably not. The Heat have adopted Allen as their own. He has new family now. He's presumably too busy chasing another title to sit back and ponder the untouchable Boston legacy he could have owned. I do wonder, though, if the thought ever crosses his mind, even for a fleeting moment, before he looks across the locker room at LeBron James and walks onto the court to drill a few more threes.

Anyway, Perk vs. Doc. Allen vs. Garnett and Pierce. These playoffs are soaked in the memories of a glorious 2008 team that time always promised to tear apart.